Miguel Cabanellas Ferrer (January 1, 1872, Cartagena – May 14, 1938) was a Spanish Army officer during the Spanish Civil War.

A cavalry officer, as a major he managed the creation of the African Regular troops (Moroccan troops in the Spanish army). In 1921 he participated in the reconquest of the Rif after the Battle of Annual. He was promoted to brigadier general and made envoy to the island of Menorca as military governor. Miguel Primo de Rivera permitted him to go into the reserves in 1926, which led him to participate in a revolt frustrated in 1929. For his support of the republicans, on April 17, 1931 the provisional government of the Republic named him commander in chief of Andalusia. Later he was named commander of the troops in Morocco and replaced José Sanjurjo in the main directorate of the Civil Guard. In 1934 he was a delegate of the Radical Republican Party. In July 1936 he was head of 5ª Organic division based in Zaragoza, where on July 19 he declared his support for the Nationalists. Due to his seniority, he was president of the Junta de Defensa Nacional that on September 28, 1936 proclaimed Francisco Franco head of government and Generalissimo - though Cabanellas was the only one who dissented to this choice.^[1] He was later Chief inspector of the Army until his death.

[edit] References

1. ^ Beevor, Antony. The Spanish Civil War. p. 117 ISBN 0-911745-11-4